Power Rangers Lost Galaxy
Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy (often abbreviated as PRLG or simply Lost Galaxy) is the seventh season of the Power Rangers series. It is based on the Japanese Super Sentai television series Seijuu Sentai Gingaman (translated as Star Beasts Squadron Galaxy Man). Lost Galaxy is the first series to not be a continuation of the previous series, with its own new cast and story. With the annual suit change that began with Power Rangers Zeo and the annual cast and story change starting with this series, this is the first series to follow the practice set by the Super Sentai series. Production In late 1998, after Power Rangers in Space ended with the two-part finale Countdown to Destruction (which ended the six year storyline that began in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), the general belief was that the Power Rangers franchise would end with In Space. However, Destruction's ratings were enough that Saban chose to continue and produce future Power Rangers seasons as standalone stories. According to some trademark documents, the original title for Lost Galaxy was Power Rangers: Space Jungle. Saban observed and bought footage, costumes, props, and story elements from 1998 Super Sentai series Seijuu Sentai Gingaman, a nature themed Sentai. The title Lost Galaxy was thought significant because the word "Ginga" is a Japanese for "Galaxy". Whereas all of the previous series featured interconnections in their casts and characters, Lost Galaxy used an entirely new cast of characters to become the Power Rangers. It also began the trend of "Team up" episodes between the current team and past teams to fight a common enemy. In Lost Galaxy's case, the Space Power Rangers and Psycho Rangers returned in the series for the first full blown teamup episodes in series history. This traditon came from the Sentai and would become a part of Power Rangers in many future seasons. Despite its stand-alone story, there were several ties to previous seasons (or Zordon Era). There were allusions to Zordon being the source of the Galaxy Power Rangers' powers; Paul Schrier and Jack Banning reprised their roles as Bulk and Professor Phenomenus, respectively. Alpha 6 and the Astro Megaship were used again and Melody Perkins reprised her role as Karone midway through the series. This is also the first season to have sentient Zords and feature the demise of a Power Ranger in battle, though Kendrix would be revived in the finale. Furio's costume came from In Space's' Sentai counterpart, Denji Sentai Megaranger, not Gingaman. This is one of only two times suits from one Sentai season were used in another's Power Rangers adaption. It would be repeated, perhaps more famously, in Power Rangers Wild Force. The Lost Galaxy season serves as a transitional series and a unique one in Power Rangers history. It is neither completely self-contained nor a direct continuation, but a bit of both. Future seasons would not begin to have completely independent stories until the following series, Lightspeed Rescue. Synopsis The Galactic Space Alliance has launched the space colony Terra Venture in search of a new world to colonize for Earth's people. Across the cosmos, the evil forces of Scorpius have invaded the planet Mirinoi to steal a set of legendary relics called the Quasar Sabers that sit in a stone altar. When a young native of the planet named Maya runs through a dimensional portal to find help, she appears in front of Terra Venture workers Kendrix Morgan, Kai Chen, and Mike Corbett, who are currently dealing with Mike's little brother Leo as he tries to smuggle his way onto the colony. Kai refuses to follow as the rest of his group return with Maya to Mirinoi, but is unable to ignore the situation for long and employs the Astro Megaship and its caretaker Damon Henderson to take him to the planet. When they reunite on Mirinoi, Leo, Kai, Damon, Maya, Kendrix, and Mike try to fight Scorpius's minions and in doing so draw the Quasar Sabers, allowing them to become the newest team of Power Rangers. In anger, Scorpius's general Furio turns everything to stone. Mike gives his life to protect his friends as they escape, and Leo is given the Red Quasar Saber from Mike to become the Galaxy Red Ranger. Aided by new Zords known as Galactabeasts, the Rangers protect Terra Venture from Scorpius and his generals Furio and Treacheron. An enigmatic warrior later comes to the Galaxy Rangers, the Magna Defender. Having lost his son Zika to Scorpius long ago, he is driven by vengeance and thinks nothing of the collateral damage he causes in pursuit of it. It is later discovered that the Magna Defender had saved Mike from his death on Mirinoi by absorbing his life into himself, and it is Mike's noble influence and Zika's memory that ultimately drives the Magna Defender to give up his life and save Terra Venture from a disaster that he had blindly created. Having found peace in his death, the Magna Defender gives his powers to Mike, allowing him to aid the Rangers in battle. Meanwhile, Scorpius has woven a cocoon to be used by his spoiled human daughter Trakeena so that she can embrace her true power. In a fit of selfishness, Trakeena refuses and flees to the planet Onyx, where she meets the warrior Villamax and his aide Kegler. As they train Trakeena in the ways of combat, the manipulative villain Deviot sides with Scorpius in an attempt to take the cocoon's power for his own. Knowing that he won't let him near the prize so long as he lives, Deviot manipulates Scorpius into attacking the Rangers by claiming that they have his daughter and he is critically wounded in battle. Trakeena returns to her father's side as he dies from his wounds, and Scorpius leaves all his power and forces to her, infuriating Deviot. Swearing to avenge her father, Trakeena continues to attack Terra Venture and has the infamous Psycho Rangers revived to destroy her enemies. When word of their revival reaches Earth, the Space Power Rangers rush to the colony to aid the Galaxy Rangers in destroying the dangerous doppelgangers. Psycho Pink manages to survive their attack and later attempts to destroy all the Rangers herself. Kendrix gives her life to destroy the last of the Psycho Rangers. Her Quasar Saber is later found by Karone, the woman who had once terrorized the galaxy as Astronema, and she is chosen to become the new Pink Galaxy Ranger. Deviot eventually takes extreme measures and recites an ancient spell to send Terra Venture into uncharted and very dangerous territory: The Lost Galaxy. This cursed realm is ruled by Captain Mutiny, who wants to enslave Terra Venture's crew to work his gem mines. To make matters worse, Terra Venture's systems become damaged, putting it and the Galaxy Rangers on an urgent mission to escape the Lost Galaxy and find a planet before the colony dies. Mike is ultimately forced to give up his Magna Defender powers to ensure Terra Venture's survival and escape from Captain Mutiny's forces. Upon escaping the Lost Galaxy, Terra Venture finally finds a habitable planet and sets course for approach, while Deviot tries to kill Trakeena and drags her into the cocoon. Deviot is destroyed as his body is absorbed into Trakeena's, but the fusion also destroys Trakeena's sanity and she begins an assault to wipe out everybody and everything in Terra Venture. The Rangers are forced to sacrifice the Astro Megaship in order to protect the evacuating colonists, and Trakeena resorts to using the cocoon as a final act of defiance. Now incredibly powerful, she attempts to drop the colony wreckage onto the planet, and the Rangers are barely able to fight her to a standstill. Leo seemingly destroys Trakeena in a point-blank energy blast that nearly kills him, and the Galactabeasts are able to catch the wreckage in time to save the day. With the colonists safe and Trakeena gone, the Galaxy Rangers explore the planet and discover that they are right back where they started: Mirinoi. As the Rangers return the Quasar Sabers to the stone altar, the petrified world and its people are restored to life, and Kendrix is revived as well. Their mission done, the Rangers and their friends celebrate. Characters Rangers :Main article:Galaxy Rangers Allies * Alpha 6 * DECA * Space Rangers * Guardian * Lightspeed Rangers * Zika Civilians * Farkas "Bulk" Bulkmeier * Professor Phenomenus * Eugene "Skull" Skullovitch * Galactic Space Alliance ** Commander Stanton ** High Councilor Renier ** Councilor Brody * Shondra * Jera * Jodie Stanton Villains Scorpius/Trakeena's Army * Scorpius * Trakeena * Furio * Treacheron * Deviot * Villamax * Kegler * Stingwingers * Scorpius and Trakeena's Monsters * Psycho Rangers Captain Mutiny's crew * Captain Mutiny * Barbarax * Titanisaur * Hexuba * Swabbies * Captain Mutiny's Monsters Arsenal * Quasar Sabers - Five swords recovered by the Power Rangers, giving them Ranger powers. * Transmorpher - Morpher of the Galaxy Rangers, activated by the morphing call "Go, Galactic!" * Magna Defender Morpher - Morpher used by Mike Corbett to become Magna Defender, using the morphing call "Magna Power!" * Red Armor Ranger - Special armor given to the Red Ranger, with built in weaponry. * Quasar Launchers - Weapons that can act either as bazookas or staffs. * Transdaggers - Five weapons that can each transform into 5 different modes, each preferred by a different Ranger. * Magna Blaster - Weapon of the Magna Defender, functions both as a rifle and as a sword. * Jet Jammer - One man vehicles used for interstellar travel. * Astro Cycles - Motorcycles used by the Red, Blue, and Green Rangers. * Capsular Cycle - Enhanced version of the Red Astro Cycle, capable of completely covering the Red Ranger. * Lights of Orion - Mystic lights used to aid the forces of good and to give the Rangers battle enhanced armor as well as power up the Galaxy Megazord. Zords Ships * Terra Venture * Astro Megaship * Scorpion Stinger Episodes VHS/DVD Releases VHS *Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Power of Teamwork Overcomes All **''Quasar Quest Part 1 & 2'' **''Race To The Rescue'' *Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: Return of the Magna Defender **''The Magna Defender'' **''The Sunflower Search'' **''Orion Rising'' **''Orion Returns'' **''Redemption Day'' DVD *The Best of the Power Rangers: The Ultimate Rangers **''To The Tenth Power'' *Power Rangers Lost Galaxy (Complete Season) RC2 *Power Rangers: From Mighty Morphin to Lost Galaxy (TimeLife Exclusive) 600 prd power rangers 01.jpg|Power Rangers: From Mighty Morphin to Lost Galaxy (TimeLife Exclusive) Notes *Because Seijuu Sentai Gingaman vs. Megaranger was in production at the time, the Gingaman villains were initially unavailable and replaced by the likes of Scorpius, Trakeena and the Sting Wingers. After that Sentai teamup ended, the Sentai villains slowly became available and slowly began being adapted. *The seventh episode, Double Duty, reaches the 300th Episode Mark of the Power Rangers franchise. *''Power Rangers Lost Galaxy'' presently owns the highest death toll of main characters thus far seen in Power Rangers: Magna Defender, Scorpius, Furio, Treacheron, Villamax, The Guardian, Loyax, Trakeena, Deviot, Captain Mutiny, Barbarax, Stratoforce Megazord, Centaurus Megazord, Torozord, DECA, and Kendrix (though she is revived in the finale). *''Lost Galaxy'' was the first series not to take place in the fictional city of Angel Grove, California, nor Earth. *''Lost Galaxy'' was the first series to abandon the teleportation ability that had been seen in all previous seasons. * This is the first season where the monsters are able to grow without the help of any of the central villains. *''Lost Galaxy'' is the first season to have had a three-part series finale, this would be repeated in Power Rangers Time Force. * It is the first season to have sentient zords (with the possible exceptions of Titanus and Tor). ** It's also includes the first instances of sentient zord deaths: Torozord, Centaurus Megazord, and Stratoforce Megazord. * The position of Magna Defender as a "Ranger" is a source of debate among fans. Many state that because he was able to morph and controlled a Zord, he is a Ranger. Others argue that because his name doesn't include the word "Ranger", he does not qualify outside Ranger-like allies or Allies. Advertisements for Lost Galaxy figures would dub him the "Magna Defender Power Ranger", but whether this term is official or not is debatable. * This was the second series were the entire team (instead of just the Red Ranger) received a power-up with the addition of the Lights of Orion, although the Red Ranger did later receive an Armored Ranger power up unique to himself. The first was in the third season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, with the addition of the Metallic Armor. *''Lost Galaxy'' is notable for featuring the first Megazord that did not require all five Rangers to be present in the same cockpit to pilot the Zord. *''Lost Galaxy'' was the last series to feature an Alpha robot of any kind (not including cameos by Alpha 6 and Alpha 7 in future series reunion episodes) until Operation Overdrive, when Alpha 6 returned after 7 years of absence. *It stands as the only series to feature a villain from a previous series becoming a Power Ranger, albeit temporarily. *For the first time, the ending credits were accompanied by a display of one of the season's Megazords assembling. This trend would repeat until the middle of Wild Force. *''Lost Galaxy'' is the first season to have a Ranger die in the line of battle, though she is revived at the end of the series. *''Lost Galaxy'' is the first series to feature siblings serving on the same team. * Lost Galaxy is also the series where the original Zords and Megazord were introduced the latest. The Galactabeasts are first seen in episode three ("Race to the Rescue"), but their Zord forms and the Galaxy Megazord are not seen until episode five ("Homesick"). *This is the first season to feature a Megazord from a previous season in the Team Up episodes. * This is the first season to featured Rangers wearing stock clothes while de-morphed. This trend was continued by Lightspeed Rescue, Time Force and Wild Force. *Lost Galaxy is both a Zordon and Post Zordon era season, as it features a new cast, storyline, set and villains unrelated to the previous seasons. However, it also features Alpha 6, who was in Power Rangers Turbo and in Space, Karone (the former Astronema), Astro Megaship, the reappearance of the Space Rangers and Psycho Rangers, and one or more characters native to Angel Grove. Regardless of its position in either era, it is the true beginnings of the Post-Zordon era. *"To the Tenth Power" and "Power of Pink" do not use any Sentai footage Seijuu Sentai Gingaman vs. Denji Sentai Megaranger. *"The Rescue Mission" is one of the most recent episodes in this series to not feature any Sentai footage or Ranger action. *''Lost Galaxy'' remained the only Power Rangers season of the 4-year Post-MMPR/Zordon era to run for 45 episodes. *Furio's costume is from a unused monster in Denji Sentai Megaranger. * The following characters from this season appear in the Power Rangers: Super Legends (2007) video game are: Leo Corbett, Damon Henderson, Kai Chen (as an unlockable character when you complete both Lost Galaxy levels by collecting the letters R-A-N-G-E-R in the first level of this storyline), Trakeena, Galaxy Megazord, Magna Defender, and the Stingwingers. *''Lost Galaxy'' is also the first series to feature independent stories for each episode, while using certain action footages from its Sentai counterpart. *This is the first series in which the Rangers are not teenagers, but adults with professions. *This is the first series where a character is able to combine with a Zord. This would later be repeated in Power Rangers Mystic Force with Leanbow. *The uniforms for Terra Venture's military are those used in the 1997 film Starship Troopers. Coincidentally, both series feature the protagonists fighting against bugs. Reception and Ratings Lost Galaxy's first half gained the highest ratings ever in the series since Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers (there has yet to be a following season to beat it's ratings). However, when the series entered it's second half, ratings began to decline (before the wake of the following season, Lightspeed Rescue). The reason is due to Saban choosing to promote their adaption of Digimon Adventure (Digimon: Digital Monsters) over Lost Galaxy, going as far as switching time-slots during Lost Galaxy's seasonal hiatus (which began May 22, 1999 and ended September 25, 1999). As a result, this decision caused problems between Fox and Saban. General reception for Lost Galaxy among the Power Rangers fanbase is "generally positive". They praise the series for it's darker tone (as they did with Power Rangers In Space) and ambition but take issue with the execution of it's overall storyline and plot holes. In relation to its merchandise, however, Lost Galaxy's action figure sales was successful. External links * Power Rangers Lost Galaxy Power Rangers - The Official Power Rangers Website